50 Sentences Expanded
by silentlullabye
Summary: Due to reader request, I am expanding some of my 50 Sentences into ficlets. Most deal with Tony/Gibbs so that means slash. But the team makes appearances as well.
1. Wait

50 Sentences Expanded

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12. Wait - As Tony rushed off in a huff, he felt a calloused hand grasp his forearm, and he looked back in surprise.

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Tony was fuming. His rage ripped down his arms and through his fingers as he flung random clothing into his suitcase. There was no way he was going to live with him anymore. Not after that. Not after his little display of affection to Ms. Sassy Redhead earlier. Already insecure about their relationship, Tony felt it was simply the last straw. He couldn't handle the pressure of keeping what they were a secret. At work, in public. The line between Gibbs' denial and the actual need to remain secret at work blurred until Tony could no longer work out what was what anymore.

He wanted to be gone before Gibbs got home. He didn't want the inevitable confrontation. His head was pounding and he just wanted to sleep. He didn't care that he no longer had an apartment to go to. McGee's couch would have to do, since Tony was in no mood to explain to Abby what had gone wrong.

But Tony knew he couldn't avoid it when he heard Gibbs' car in the driveway. And then the front door and heavy footsteps on the creaky old stairs.

Tony realized that his cheeks were wet, and he quickly wiped away the tears he had shed. Whether from anger of hurt he wasn't quite sure.

"Tony-"

"Just don't!" He slammed the suitcase shut and zipped it quickly. He had it in one hand and his car keys in the other as he made his way to the door.

"We need to talk about this! Just let me explai-" He followed Tony down the stairs, hoping he could say something to make him stop. He knew it wasn't about the woman from earlier. The issues in their relationship had been brewing for some time.

As Tony rushed off in a huff, he felt a calloused hand grasp his forearm, and he looked back in surprise.

"Let go." He tried to shake him off, but Gibbs' didn't want to let him go. He couldn't.

"Tony, I want you to understand-"

Tony's eyes blazed and Gibbs' saw the anger, the pain, and the sorrow in their depths. "Explain what? That you live up to the Second B is for Bastard thing pretty often? Because I don't need that one explained to me. That one… I think I've got it figured on my own."

He began his struggle for freedom anew. But Gibbs pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around Tony's torso, making him drop the suitcase and his keys in the process.

"Don't…" He closed his eyes, and Gibbs' thought he just might go a bit mental. But he didn't let go.

"Please, Jethro, just…Give me time. I need to think, to…clear my head." Tony rested his head on the only thing he could really reach: Gibbs' shoulder, his hair brushing against his ear.

Gibbs wasn't quite sure if Tony was being serious or if he was only saying this to get him to let go.

"Just… give me some time. We can talk in a few days." He raised his head to meet Gibbs' eyes. He loved those brilliant blue eyes. And no matter how angry he was, he knew that he loved him. And that if he really wanted this to work, he had some soul-searching to do.

"Okay, Tony. A few days, then we'll talk."

"Yeah." And Gibbs slowly released his grip, allowing Tony to untangle himself from the embrace.

Tony picked up his suitcase and keys and opened the front door.

"I still love you, Tony."

He gave one final glance back.

"I know."

And he was gone.

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A/N: So a reader requested that I expand a few of the 50 sentences I did. This is the first. I may do more, but not in any particular order.

So **SLE 74**, I hope you liked it! And everyone else too! Please review, and let me know if I should keep expanding a few of these into mini-ficlets.

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	2. God

50 Sentences Expanded

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43. God - He was not a religious man, but Gibbs stood in the hospital chapel anyway, and prayed Tony would leave this place alive.

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McGee blamed himself. If he hadn't forgotten his camera in the van, then Tony wouldn't be fighting for his life right now. It didn't matter that Ducky was trying to reassure him: if he hadn't forgotten, then the whole team would be dead.

That really didn't help.

The van had never been a target before. But the moment Tony had opened the back door, the van had exploded into hundreds of fiery pieces, filling the air with smoke and scalding heat.

The entire team came running, but Tony was nowhere to be found. At least, nowhere nearby. Instead Ziva discovered him some thirty feet away, the blast having sent him sprawling through the air.

They didn't need the paramedics to tell them the injuries. Most were written on Tony's face. Second degree burns on his face, chest and arms. Shrapnel embedded in his abdomen and all over his body. A broken wrist, leg, and ribs from the fall. A possible serious head injury. And worst of all, the smoke that to others would cause little harm, spreading like a poison throughout Tony's already permanently damaged Respiratory System.

Gibbs sat with him in the ambulance, begging Tony's chest to rise and fall, signifying life. But his lungs weren't working, and then he was seizing, vomit spilling from his half-open mouth.

But it was at the entrance to the hospital when Gibbs felt his world rock beneath him.

The moment when Tony's heart stopped.

Tony had been rushed into surgery by the time the rest of the team arrived, to find a near frantic Gibbs pacing the waiting room. Back and forth, over and over.

No offers of reassurance could calm Gibbs.

Not only was he at risk of losing his best agent, his second-in-command, but also his partner, his lover. And Abby was sure he was slowly losing his mind.

An hour later, the surgery was still ongoing, and Gibbs was cracking.

He had stopped pacing, but now the team worried even more. He was sitting absolutely still, head in his hands, grasping his salt-and-pepper hair. Ziva and McGee had gone to get coffee for everyone. Ducky had sent Palmer back to NCIS. Abby sat with Gibbs.

"Gibbs?"

No movement. She sighed. Tony needed him to be Gibbs right now, not this empty man next to her. Tony needed _his_ Gibbs.

"Gibbs, come with me." And without any struggle at all, to Abby's complete surprise, she pulled Gibbs to his feet and dragged him down the hall.

It was nice enough, for a hospital chapel. There were a few pews set up, and a small podium. The hospital attempted to cater to several religions at once, but failed. The statues of Buddha and Jesus Christ looked rather odd sitting next to each other on a small table.

She sat Gibbs in the second row, and took a seat a row behind.

"Pray for him Gibbs. I don't care if you pray to God, Allah, Jehovah, or Dionysus, but pray for him. It's better than what you have been doing.

In a normal situation, Abby would probably have gotten her first ever headslap for suggesting that Gibbs pray to Allah. She knew he had been raised Catholic, to some extent.

But he just closed his eyes, and leaned forward to rest his head on the pew before him. It seemed wrong.

He rose to his feet as Abby watched, and looked up.

He was not a religious man, but Gibbs stood in the hospital chapel anyway, and prayed Tony would leave this place alive.

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A/N: Ahaha Cliffhanger! No just kidding. But seriously I don't know if I will continue this particular ficlet. The idea of the sentence was to leave you wondering. And now the fic does as well.

I may add to it eventually though.

This expansion was suggested by **WCUGirl**, so I hope you liked it even though I left you hanging!

Thanks for reading, and please review even if only to tell me how evil I am for ending it there!

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	3. Bother

50 Sentences Expanded

An NCIS Fanfic.

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42. Bother - Sick in bed, Tony couldn't put up much of a fight when Gibbs fed him chicken noodle soup.

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His whole body ached; literally from head to toe. There was this pain behind his eyes that throbbed every time he moved, and occasionally when he didn't. His toes were a bit numb, from lying so very still for so long, and he had an itch on his right inner thigh that he didn't have the energy to scratch.

Tony stretched as much as he could without moving his head. It wasn't enough. And he was hot. But every time he threw the blankets off he was freezing.

A humidifier hummed from a chair next to the bed, but Tony swore it wasn't actually helping. His throat was still painfully dry, his nose stuffy, and his cough the same as it was three hours before.

All in all, a bad day.

The only thing that could possibly add to his misery was Gibbs, who was coddling him worse than a mother ever could.

Every so often he would stick his head in the door and ask Tony if he needed anything. It was part of the compromise they had made. Earlier Gibbs had been sitting in a chair in the corner, reading. The hovering was driving Tony crazy, and so they had made a bargain. Gibbs would leave Tony alone unless he needed anything.

Tony hadn't managed any real sleep in six hours. He would drift off for a while, but a coughing fit would wake him. Or his roiling stomach. Or an ache in his back (or leg, or shoulder, or…).

It was the first time Tony had ever had the flu, like, in his entire life. Of course, the first thing Gibbs had done when Tony awoke in the night with a fever was rush him to the hospital. Any sickness that affected his respiratory system was always a greater danger to Tony than it would be to a normal person. But after battling and defeating the plague, Tony felt that tackling the flu would be a piece of cake.

So after getting a prescription for Tony to take to help with his breathing and coughing, they went home, and Tony went straight to bed.

Despite his insistence that Gibbs not stay home with him, Gibbs had called Ziva and McGee (at three in the morning) to tell them he wasn't coming in.

It was now nine in the morning. And they had been this way ever since.

Tony almost got to three hours of sleep at four in the afternoon. But the smell woke him.

"Tony?" He opened his eyes slowly. Gibbs sat on the bed beside him, holding a tray.

"Wha'?" His dry mouth and sleepy voice barely managed a reply.

"You need to eat something." Gibbs gestured to the tray. A bowl with some kind of steaming liquid sat in the center.

Tony knew there was no way he was sitting up, attempting to hold a spoon, and eating by himself. Not when he felt like he'd been run over by a bus. He pushed Gibbs's hand away and tried to roll over but his head protested, so he just shut his eyes.

"Tony? You need to eat." It was hard for Tony to reconcile his normally coarse boss with this caring, gentle caregiver before him. Especially when Gibbs spoke next.

"Look, I will feed you myself, if that's what it takes. But you are going to eat something."

Tony's eyes snapped open and he glared at Gibbs, his look clearly saying 'come near me with that spoon and I'll kill you.' he wasn't sure he would ever be able to look at Gibbs the same way again. He shook his head.

"Fine. Open up, little Tony." Gibbs voice took on a tone of mockery, as if talking to a child. Tony continued to glare. But Gibbs, ever insistent, did manage to get the spoon over to his mouth, inside, and back, without spilling a drop of the hot liquid.

It burned slightly on Tony's tongue, but it tasted amazing and settled Tony's stomach.

And so, sick in bed, Tony couldn't put up much of a fight when Gibbs fed him chicken noodle soup.

Hours later, after finally getting some decent sleep, Tony woke to find Gibbs lying next to him, an arm thrown protectively across his waist.

Tony couldn't understand why Gibbs would risk catching the virus. But then he laughed to himself. No disease in its right mind would dare approach Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

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A/N: I really like how this one turned out. I tried to keep both of them in character as much as possible. Not sure how that turned out. But here you are, another sentence expanded. And this is all nice and tidy with no loose ends.

So **Gloworm41**, I hope you like the way it turned out!

Please leave me a review and let me know your thoughts! I love hearing them!

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	4. Fool

50 Sentences Expanded

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21. Fool – Tony raised the beer to take another sip and chided himself for ever believing that Gibbs would show.

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It was three in the morning. And it was a school night. All that meant to Tony was that he had to go to work tomorrow and face the asshole that had stood him up.

And he was drinking. Mostly because no one stood up Anthony DiNozzo Jr. But he didn't care. Much.

Looking back, he supposed it had been a stupid idea. His dear Boss didn't do dates. He did marriages. And Tony definitely didn't fit that bill.

But just once, Tony wanted to do something out of character. He wanted a nice date with the person he lov- liked. Not like the fake dinners he took all his other dates on as just a means to and end that involved a bed, nails on his back, and satin sheets. A nice dinner, at a restaurant, where there was fine wine, good food, conversation, and no expectations of more once the evening was over.

It was something Tony had done only once before. But even then, it was an assignment.

Tony had even let Abby pick out his tie. I mean, it was a serious thing!

Ziva had wished him good luck. And now Tony understood why. He had deluded himself into thinking that Leroy Jethro Gibbs would turn up at eight sharp.

Tony raised the beer to take another sip and chided himself for ever believing that Gibbs would show.

It was only the foolish hope lingering in his heart that kept him waiting for three hours. And it was only as the restaurant was closing that Tony had given up that hope. And so he had begun bar hopping, expecting to drown himself in cheap alcohol and smoky rooms.

What he hadn't expected was Ziva.

"Hello, Tony." She sat on the bar stool beside him, and motioned to the bartender.

The greasy blond barman took her empty glass, and turned away.

"So, how did your date go?" She looked at him. There was no hint of a smirk or mirth in her eyes. She was not poking fun at him.

But the look Tony gave her in answer was all she needed.

"I'm so sorry, Tony. I know you were looking forward to a real date." She placed a hand on his upper back and rubbed, like a mother soothing a child.

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does. He should not have stood on you." He gave her a look. "What?"

"Stood me up, Ziva. Not stood on me."

"Oh. Well, whatever. He clearly did not know how important it was to you."

Tony tipped the beer, and emptied it. Almost immediately, the barman placed another before him. He reached to take a sip, but Ziva's hand on top of his stopped him.

"I think you have had plenty, Tony." He frowned at her, but moved his hand.

"You must not give Gibbs a reaction to this evening. He doesn't deserve to know how upset you are."

"I want him to know. He's a dirty rotten bastard and I want to throw something at him. Something big and smelly. No, better yet, I want to hurt him. I want him to hurt like I did tonight. Like I do right now." His mad flailing about threw the stool off balance, and before Ziva could react, he was on his back on the floor, the stool toppled next to him.

Ziva sighed heavily. She turned to the bartender who was staring at Tony.

"How many has he had?"

"In the past hour, or since he got here?" Ziva groaned.

"How long has he been here?"

"Couple hours. I'd say he's had about seven since then. And the three tequila shots."

She sighed again, and slipped off the stool to help Tony to his feet.

"Come on, Tony. Let me take you home. We'll work everything out tomorrow."

After stumbling twice and Tony banging his head on the door frame, Ziva finally got him in bed and under the covers. He spoke a bit more about Gibbs, alternating between loving him and hating him every few seconds, before eventually dozing off, gibberish still spilling from his lips.

Ziva curled up on the sofa. He would be a wreck in the morning. And he would need someone to be there for him.

And then, when she got to work tomorrow, she thought she might give Gibbs a few, well versed threats, for good measure.

If one ruined evening like this could break Tony, then she knew his heart belonged to Gibbs. The Gibbs who didn't deserve his attention at all, and who she might slowly torture if he didn't very quickly explain his reasons for not showing up this evening.

Tony needed a friend. Ziva was glad to help.

And tomorrow, they would work it out.

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A/N: This got away from me a little bit. And before anyone jumps on me for Ziva, let me just say that she is meant to be just a friend to Tony here. Nothing more. Tony/Gibbs forever.

This was requested by **SLE 74**, I hope you liked it.

It is a bit of a cliffhanger and I may add to it one day, but for now it is finished.

Please review! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	5. Child

50 Sentences Expanded

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23. Child – It disturbed Tony slightly how sometimes he needed Gibbs to hold him as a lover, and sometimes to hold him as a friend.

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To anyone who didn't know the whole story, it would seem odd. But when Tony and Gibbs were alone together, they didn't bother with the rest of the world.

They were in love. They were at a point where both had admitted it to the other. The team knew and approved. They didn't hide their relationship at work, but they didn't go out of the way to draw attention to themselves either.

Along their road to happiness with each other, Tony had discovered a startling fact. Not only did he love Gibbs, he associated him as a caregiver. A friend.

Sometimes his life would catch up with him, and he would curl up under the covers, shaking as his dreams turned to nightmares. They were never specific, merely images and sounds and all sorts of sensory information that combined to leave him feeling uneasy. It was in those moments when Tony loved Gibbs most. He felt the arms wrap tightly around him, and he woke up, leaving the horrible dreamscape behind.

Used to hiding affection and fear all his life, he found the closeness he and Gibbs shared to be almost frightening.

It disturbed Tony slightly how sometimes he needed Gibbs to hold him as a lover, and sometimes to hold him as a friend.

Because Tony needed different parts of Gibbs at different times. And the thing Tony loved best was that Gibbs knew exactly what Tony needed, and when.

He was still getting used to the complexities of their relationship. It would take time. But whenever he awoke with strong arms wrapped tightly around him, he knew it would be worth it.

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A/N: Okay, so I'm not sure if this is any good at all. Reading it back to myself, it didn't sound like what I had in my head when I sat down to type. But then again, I'm never truly satisfied with my work. So maybe it's okay. Let me know, yeah? Review? Little button? Clicky? Make sl very happy. Even if you didn't like it, please leave me a note and tell me why and what you would like to see added.

Small note though, it is supposed to just be a short drabble. This one doesn't have a cliffhanger, and I don't have any plans to expand it further. On that note, I am considering adding to Fool and some of the other expansions, since so many people have asked. And I am only expanding by request, so if there is a sentence you would love to expanded, please let me know.

This expansion was requested by **SLE 74** and **WCUGirl**. I hope you both liked it!

And on a separate thought, anyone who read _Caitlyn_ and/or _Sam_, stay tuned because I am writing a third story as a sequel to the other two. It will be the last in what is now a trilogy. It is untitled as of now, but should be up soon.

**NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	6. Fool Part 2

50 Sentences Expanded

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21. Fool – Tony raised the beer to take another sip and chided himself for ever believing that Gibbs would show.

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Fool – Part 2

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Gibbs strode into NCIS headquarters at five past eight in the morning. He nodded to the security guard as he stepped through the metal detector. There was an elevator waiting when he pressed the up button, and so Gibbs felt that the morning was off to a good start.

And then Ziva slipped in behind him.

She didn't say a word as the metal doors closed. Just stood to his left, eyes on the door.

And for several moments, he was entirely uncomfortable. He stood stock still, coffee in his right hand, NCIS backpack slung over his right shoulder.

But before the elevator reached the second floor, Ziva silently reached out and flipped the off switch. And when she turned to face him, the marine in him cowed slightly from the burning in her eyes.

"Gibbs. We need to talk."

"Not now, Ziva. Not now." He reached across her for the switch to get them moving once again, but she slapped his hand away, and stepped between him and the button panel.

"Yes, Gibbs. Now."

After seeing her docile side for so long, Gibbs had almost forgotten how ferocious she could be. Almost.

She crossed her arms over her chest, the fabric of her green sweater bunching. She glared.

"Ziva, I-"

"You had better have a damn good explanation for your absence last night."

Of course she knew. Tony must have called her when he didn't show.

"He was a wreck, Gibbs. When I found him he was busy drinking himself into a stupor. He was really looking forward to dinner with you! So you had better give me a good reason not to beat the Marine out of you. All that talk of honor, tradition, and respect. Pshaw! Were you respecting Tony when you stood on- stood him up? Yes?"

Gibbs didn't know what to say to make her understand. He had to admit that he hadn't thought the evening meant that much to DiNozzo. Just a date among a string of dates for NCIS's resident playboy. He was half shocked that Tony had even asked him.

But deep down, he knew it was different. Tony had acted different. And now, hearing from Ziva just how upset Tony was, well, it hit him hard.

"Ziva…" She raised an eyebrow, her mouth still set in a severe frown, her eyes sparkling with ire.

"I didn't know it meant so much to him."

She frowned deeper. "How could you not have? He has been ecstatic for two weeks. He kept asking Abby what he should wear. He really wanted to impress you! Show you he could be different than what you think he is when he's with all those other women. All those other men." She gave a heavy sigh, and turned her eyes away, to face the door.

"Ziva, I was… I was…" He couldn't make his lips form the words he needed to say; the words that shouldn't even belong in Leroy Jethro Gibbs' vocabulary.

"You what?" She was glaring at him again.

"I was afraid." And silence. Ziva wasn't sure how to respond, and Gibbs was afraid of how she would.

The frown line disappeared from her forehead, and her lips relaxed into a straight line.

"Of what? What could you possibly be afraid off?"

Gibbs closed his eyes and remembered back to the previous evening. To standing in front of his bathroom mirror, dressed for a casual dinner. The dinner would change everything. Even his acceptance had changed things. His Tony. The one he had watched grow over the years. The one who had saved his ass on multiple occasions. The one who always sought his approval, his loyal St. Bernard.

But it was more than that. Gibbs hadn't missed the subtle changes over time. The looks that lingered too long. The leg that pressed gently against his when they ate steak dinners on Gibbs' couch. The jealousy that flashed in those green eyes whenever Gibbs had someone else on his arm. The hand that brushed against his when they drove in the car, or as they rode the elevator. Brushes that could come off as accidental, unless you knew what to look for.

And all of that wouldn't matter, except that he felt the same.

He opened his eyes back in the present and gave Ziva the softest look he could manage.

"It would mean something, Ziva." She puzzled her eyebrows together in confusion.

"Is that not the point?"

"Yes, but I was afraid I couldn't give him what he wanted. I… was afraid I couldn't give him what he needed me to give. Myself, Ziva. I haven't given that in a long time. Why do you think I have such a bad track record with women?"

"Not always. And Tony is not a woman, Gibbs."

Gibbs snorted quietly and shifted his weight from foot to foot . "I know that. I don't have a great track record with anyone."

"But Tony is different. He only wants what you're able to give. He is much too self-destructive, Gibbs, and he knows that you are the only one who can save him from destroying himself. He has been searching for a long time to find someone who could do that."

Gibbs met her eyes, and tried to convey his understanding. How could he have not known that Tony would do something stupid if he didn't show up? And Gibbs knew Ziva was right. He was the only one who could pull Tony away from the edge.

And that was why they worked. Both professionally, and, if he could let it happen, personally.

"I have to fix this."

She glared again. "Yes, you do. But do not give him false hope if you are not going to follow through." She stepped closer to him until her face was inches from his own. "Because then I would have to kill you."

"I don't plan on giving him anything other than the truth, Ziva. And he can take me or leave me."

She reached back and flipped the switch back to on.

"Good. Fool is not a good look for you Gibbs."

And she exited as soon as the doors slid open.

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A/N: Okay, finally this is up! And before anyone freaks, I am planning a part 3. But some reviews of support would make that happen lots faster!

And I have revised this fic. So I corrected the typos I saw (if you see one I missed, please let me know) and I tried to put Gibbs a little more in character. But then again, it's hard for him to be normal Gibbs when he has to talk about his feelings.

One more thing, if any reader is an Inception fan, I have a fic up right now called _Triptych: A Life in Ten Acts_. If you like the fandom, please check it out!

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	7. Shadow

50 Sentences Expanded

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25. Shadow – Abby was the only one brave enough to tell him: he was a shell of who he once had been.

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The changes had been subtle. So subtle that no one had seemed to notice. No one except Abby.

Tony was different. He didn't play pranks anymore, or lie in wait by the elevator to scare someone. He didn't visit Abby's lab unless he had to for a case. He came in early and stayed later than anyone else. Even Gibbs. And that was when Abby had become suspicious.

She watched him. With McGee's help she installed a spy cam in the bullpen so that she could watch Tony throughout the day. And she also had McGee keep tabs on Tony's behavior.

Naturally, she then had to tell McGee what she was doing and why. And then it was a quick hop, skip, and a jump to Ziva and Palmer finding out. Ducky, for whatever reason, already knew.

The only one who seemed to be oblivious was Gibbs. And Abby had to wonder if he was the reason for the change in their very special agent.

It went on this way for four months. In the last week of the third month, Gibbs had found Abby's spy cam, and so for the rest of the time, she had to rely on the eyes of Ziva and McGee alone.

Tony continued on as usual. Well, the new usual, not the old Tony usual.

By month five, Abby had had enough. No one seemed to have the balls to confront Tony correctly. No one. Not his supposed friends, his coworkers, his boss. So she took matters in hand.

Abby was the only one brave enough to tell him: he was a shell of who he once had been.

He had looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. But Abby knew that talking to Tony wouldn't be enough to get rid of the funk hanging around Tony. So she went to what she was pretty sure was the source.

She went to Gibbs.

He had started a new boat, which Abby discovered in its early stages when she came down his basement stairs. He didn't say anything to her, just offered her a makeshift tumbler full of bourbon.

And Abby ripped into him. She doesn't like to look back on it now, mostly because she is slightly embarrassed of some of the things she said to him. But they needed to be said.

The only thing that she liked to remember was Tony's face the following Monday morning. And the soft smile upon it.

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A/N: I know this isn't the next part of "Fool". Don't hurt me! It will be up soon. It needs some editing and adjusting.

So until then, here is another sentences expanded. This one was requested by **SLE 74**. SO I hope you like it.

I don't plan on adding to this, or even telling you why Tony was upset, or what Gibbs says to him. I will leave that up to your imagination. Also because I feel like I do a lot of stories where Gibbs and Tony fight or break up and then get back together. So I just made this a little drabble from Abby's perspective.

Fool part 3 soon! And if any reader has a request for a sentence they would like to see expanded, then let me know! I'll get to work.

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	8. Fool Part 3

50 Sentences Expanded

An NCIS Fanfic.

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21. Fool – Tony raised the beer to take another sip and chided himself for ever believing that Gibbs would show.

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Fool – Part 3

McGee had been the first to leave that Friday night. It was as if the tension that had pervaded the air for the entire day was tangible and he wanted out. Ziva had spent much of the past few hours glaring, snapping at everyone except Tony, and generally being unfriendly and moody. And Tony was numb. He did everything in his power to avoid Gibbs, and he was finding it rather difficult since he was his boss. And he could feel Gibbs' eyes upon him, but he never said a word.

Finally, once he had signed the last form and neatly stacked all his paperwork, Tony packed up.

"Hey Ziva?"

She looked up.

"We still on for dinner at my place tonight, right?"

She smiled. "You bet. Should I bring anything?"

"Just that smiling face." He gave her a big grin, and then ran to catch the elevator before it closed after some other coworkers headed home. Once safely inside, he dropped the mask, and allowed the despair to return to his eyes.

"Dinner?"

Immediately the smile faded from Ziva's face, and she wheeled around to face Gibbs, her glare back in place.

"Yes, Gibbs. Dinner. Tony is my friend. He offered to cook for me. I thought it would be interesting to see what he could actually cook." Then she tersely turned back to her computer screen, closing open pages and then shutting down.

She gathered her things quickly, but couldn't escape Gibbs fast enough.

"Ziva?"

"Yes, Gibbs?" She turned, a mere five steps away from the elevator. He was standing a foot away.

"I want to apologize to Tony."

She frowned. "I would say that it is about time."

"I finally thought of the best way to do it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But…I need some help to make this work. No way is he gonna listen to anything I say without a bit of persuasion."

Her eyes narrowed, and she gripped her bag tighter. But despite her anger, she was glad he was finally going to attempt to make amends. It was about time.

"What do you need me to do?"

**.**

"Fly me to the moon…"Tony sang quietly to himself. He was beginning to see all the flaws in the songs of the crooners. Love lasting forever. Flying amongst the stars. To a distraught person, the lyrics spilled like poison. He couldn't help but laugh. Even at his lowest, his flirty nature slipped through, thus the Sinatra.

He tried to focus back on the spaghetti, the only dish he felt confident enough to cook without destroying. The noodles were looking squishing, a good sign, and the sauce was simmering nicely. The salad was ready in the fridge. It wasn't half bad, if he didn't say so himself. Now if only he didn't burn the garlic bread.

He was glad Ziva had agreed to dinner. He didn't know if he could handle being completely alone. Who could he whine and complain to without a friend there to hear it? A friend who knew how big of an ass Gibbs could be?

The doorbell chimed, and terrified to step away from the stove for a second, especially since it was time to strain the noodles, he hollered "It's open."

He couldn't for the life of him get the strainer to cooperate, and so, naturally, the scalding water spilt onto his hand.

"Ah, shit!" He dropped the pot in the sink and ran cold water over his stinging fingers.

"Tony."

He turned.

"What are you doing here?"

Gibbs shifted slightly, uncomfortable. He held a bottle of wine in his left hand. "Ziva let me come in her place."

Tony's eyes lit up with anger, but Gibbs wasn't about to back down. He had majorly screwed up and he needed to fix it.

"Why would she do that?" Tony turned his back and turned off the stove. There was no use in dinner now.

"Because she knew I was trying to apologize."

"Ha! Apologize. The great Leroy Jethro Gibbs doesn't apologize. Everyone knows that!"

He used a knife and tried to scrape some noodles that were stuck on the bottom of the pot.

Gibbs set the wine on the counter and stepped toward Tony, gently taking his arm and propelling him around to face him. "I'm apologizing to you."

Tony refused to meet his eyes, but didn't pull away, which Gibbs viewed as a good sign.

"Tony, I really screwed up, okay. I…I didn't know how big of a deal this was to you. I should've. I should've seen the excitement you had the past weeks. I just…I didn't know this," he gestured at the pair of them, "meant so much to you. That this was different." He sighed heavily.

"God, Tony. I took one look at myself in the mirror last night and realized that I was the biggest bastard in the world for not telling you sooner. Not telling you how much I cared about you. I thought you just wanted a dinner to screw with my head or something, and that you didn't know how I felt."

"How you felt? How about how I felt? Huh?" Tony pushed against Gibbs' chest, but Gibbs held tight.

"I should have shown up, Tony. Then we'd both know. And you wouldn't be hurting right now. I'm sorry for not coming to dinner Tony. "

"So why didn't you? You still haven't really answered the question."

"I was… God, Tony I was scared, alright? I didn't think I could give you what I thought you deserved. You aren't like anyone I've ever dated. All three ex-wives don't come close to you. You are the first since…since Shannon that's really made me think…well, I don't know, that maybe we could work.

"You put up with all my flaws, Tony, and I know it ain't easy. I am a bastard."

And for the first time in two days, Gibbs saw a glimmer of hope. Tony smiled. It wasn't his usual all-out DiNozzo grin, but it was a simple smile, a start.

"Yes, you are a bastard. But you should know better than to worry about me wanting someone better, Gibbs. Jethro. Do you honestly think I would have asked you to dinner if I didn't want to be with you? I don't normally do the dinner thing, Gibbs. I mean, sometimes, yeah. But I wanted this to be special. I wanted it to be different because it was."

Gibbs chuckled. "It is. You're something different, Tony. I want you to know that. I was an idiot not to show up."

"Yes you were."

"But I would be extremely willing to show for this one." He waved his hand at the set table, and the sauce that was slowly cooling on the stove top.

"Well, good. Because if you miss another one I might have to kill you."

"Really? Get in line. Ziva has first dibs."

"Ziva?"

"She cornered me in the elevator and told me to make it right with you or she would, essentially hunt me down."

Tony laughed. "Oh, well, then we should definitely give her an excuse to let you live. I want to have a few more dinners with you before you die."

He reached to turn the sauce back on, and then began to try and salvage the noodles.

"Tony?"

He felt the arms wrap around his waist gently.

"I've been a fool."

He turned. "Yes you have. But you can make it up to me."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Glad to hear it."

* * *

A/N: I know it isn't the best ending in the world, but that's where I thought the best ending would be. I hope everyone likes it. I tried to keep Gibbs in character, but it really is difficult since we don't see him show that much emotion on the show, normally.

Please let me know what you think. Praise and positive criticism welcome. I don't know if I'm completely happy with this chapter so I may revise it sometime in the future; make it better (IMO).

Also, it's late and any grammar errors I'll have to fix at another time. If you see one, please let me know. There are always one or two.

And if there are any other sentences you would like to see expanded, let me know!

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	9. Harm

50 Sentences Expanded

* * *

47. Harm – Gibbs realized the extent of his feelings when that man had held a gun to Tony's head, and almost pulled the trigger.

* * *

There are rare moments in a person's life when they have an epiphany of where they have been and where they are going. These moments change everything. And rightly so. It could be while sitting next to a dying loved one in hospital, or even holding your child in your arms for the first time. It could be watching a beautiful woman walk down the aisle toward you, or staring down at her grave.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs had experienced all of these moments. And each one had required him to take stock of his life and where it was headed. No one truly likes change, but everyone has to deal with it. So as a young boy Gibbs had sat at his mother's bedside as she faded away. As a young man he had watched a lovely redhead walk down the aisle toward him. As a man, he had held his baby girl in his arms and marveled at how tiny she was; that he and his lovely redhead had created her from themselves. And as an older man he had stared down at their graves in wonderment, unable to process all that had happened.

As he approached the later years of his life, Leroy Jethro Gibbs thought he was done with profound, life-changing moments. He wasn't sure he could handle any more.

But clearly life had other plans, because shortly after divorcing wife number four, life thrust someone new into his life. Someone who would change things permanently.

Tony was a clown, that much was sure. But there was something about him that made Gibbs want to laugh at his silly pranks and his witty repertoire with coworkers. He livened up what could be a dull, repetitious job. Always death, always murderers, always a case to solve. Tony's wisecracks, no matter how crude, always put a smile on his face, even if it was only when no one could see.

And as the years passed, it wasn't difficult for Gibbs to notice a certain attraction the two shared. It could be in a sidelong glance, a lingering touch, or even silence. But neither acted.

Naturally, life was pissed because these two men who were clearly meant for one another were ignoring all the signs. And so, another epiphany was required.

It was during a case involving a Marine who had killed his wife and two sons after a long battle with PTSD. The entire team felt a certain ounce of pity for the man, but he was still a murderer.

A chase had ensued when they had finally cornered him in a warehouse downtown. Both Gibbs and Ziva were behind Tony, but neither was fast enough to get Tony's six. So when Gibbs rounded a corner, Ziva on his heels, he had to stop, as the epiphany overtook him.

Gibbs realized the extent of his feelings when that man had held a gun to Tony's head, and almost pulled the trigger.

It was only Ziva's quick hands and the bullet she sent between his eyes that caused the man to release Tony and fall to the concrete. Tony was shaken, and no jokes spilled from his lips. A close call such as this one was rare and each one always bothered him more than the last. What if help was ever too late?

And so he had an epiphany of his own, which life threw in just to make sure.

When Gibbs knelt before him to check he was okay, Tony leaned over and placed the most chaste of kisses on Gibbs' lips.

But it was enough.

* * *

A/N: I really like how this turned out. And the end is where it ends, no sequels for this one. I think it's pretty obvious that the pair took the hint life was trying to through at them. And I loved Life being a personified being almost. That wasn't how I originally planned it, but hey, whatever works.

This expansion was requested by **Laimelde**. I hope you liked!

Reviews are lovely!

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	10. Gentle

50 Sentences Expanded

An NCIS Fanfic.

* * *

6. Gentle: The first time, Gibbs had eased the wrinkles of pain from Tony's face with his lips.

* * *

It wasn't as if Tony had never been with another guy. I mean, he had known his sexuality swung both ways since he was fourteen. The thing that made him so completely nervous was that it had been over five years since the last one.

And Gibbs. Naturally, that made him nervous as well.

Tony wasn't sure about Gibbs' sexual history. Sure, the guy had been married four times, even had a kid. But marrying four different women didn't exactly tell Tony what he needed to know, i.e., whether or not Gibbs had ever been with a man in the most carnal nature.

And God no, he wasn't going to ask. He assumed that because Gibbs was okay with the whole dating Tony thing that he would also not have a problem with sleeping with him. The blowjobs were also a big hint. And the kissing of course (Tony really liked the kissing. And the other stuff too, but the kissing was very nice).

Neither would exactly call themselves gay, per say. After all, Tony was, for the purpose of technicality, bisexual. But Gibbs, well, he didn't know. He didn't seem like the kind of guy who could even be given a label. He transcended labels entirely. He was Gibbs. It was the only label he really needed, and it usually did the trick.

It was April. There were no major cases, and so Tony had left early so that he could cook; Gibbs was staying over.

Gibbs was staying over. Tony wasn't intentionally acting like a scared little virgin. But it would be the first time either of them had actually stayed the night. (That one time with the water heater didn't count since back then Tony was still crushing and Gibbs was, for all intents and purposes, clueless.)

Tony was a romantic. Even though he could count the number of actual successful relationships (meaning that lasted longer than a month) on one hand, he was a romantic to the end. Probably because of all the movies. But how on earth do you go about giving flowers to _Gibbs_?

It wasn't happening. So instead, Tony cooked (some chicken dish recipe Ziva had given him), and set the table with silverware and plates that actually matched. (Not paper plates; those were reserved for their cowboy steak nights.)

Gibbs was exactly on time (when was he ever _not_?). He complimented the cooking. (And despite every attempt not to act like a little housewife, inside Tony squeed just a bit.)

But when dinner was over, and they were settled on the couch to watch a football game, each with a beer in hand, Tony felt the stupid butterflies in the pit of his stomach.

He needn't have worried.

The first time, Gibbs made the first move.

The first time, Tony couldn't focus on anything but the beautiful mouth on his.

The first time, Gibbs laughed when Tony stumbled out of his jeans.

The first time, Tony admired the subtle musculature that Gibbs had managed to maintain from his days in the Corps.

The first time, Gibbs had eased the wrinkles of pain from Tony's face with his lips.

The first time, it didn't matter that no labels fit them; what they were, who they had been, who they would be.

The first time, Tony clutched to Gibbs like a dying man in a storm, and Gibbs held him tighter.

The first time, as they collapsed together, Tony felt the butterflies disappear, to be replaced by a feeling of being.

Just being beside this man. Just the two of them. Just alone together.

And God, that was beautiful

* * *

A/N: Another chapter! I hope every liked it. It was probably one of my favorites. I know there is no real sex scene, but I didn't feel that was what made it important. But I like how it turned out.

This expansion was requested by **Silver Ardor Dragon**. Hope you liked!

Everyone else: if there is a sentence you want to see more of, let me know!

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	11. One

50 Sentences Expanded

An NCIS Fanfic.

* * *

7. One – For Jeanne it had been a dozen roses, but for Gibbs, Tony felt one would suffice.

* * *

Tony didn't honestly expect Gibbs to be a flower guy. Maybe he had once upon a time doted on his many wives in that sort of way, but Tony knew without a doubt that Gibbs probably wouldn't be cool with receiving any.

So, naturally, Tony had to do it.

It was part of his nature to annoy, pester, and overall make people want to kill him on a daily basis. Especially Ziva. But his pranks were legendary. Besides his more obvious nicknames from college, his frat buddies had also coined the term The Prankenator. (It was terminator time, come on.)

So now that he and Gibbs were, for all intents and purposes, a couple, Tony thought Gibbs should know better than to expect Tony to change.

So Tony found himself in a tiny flower shop on the corner of an entire street full of tiny shops. It was…quaint. And Tony was late for dinner. And growing later.

But he was having some issues with the florist. It was a tiny, older woman, bespeckled and with an accent to rival Ducky's. She was determinedly insisting that Tony should spend more money (so much more!) and buy an entire dozen of red roses.

"Very romantic," she repeated.

But Tony wasn't sure how annoyed he wanted Gibbs to be. And the more he thought about it, why did the gift have to even be an annoyance? Why couldn't he just give Gibbs flowers because he wanted to? If Gibbs didn't like them, oh well, he wouldn't do it again.

So he could be his usual self, or he could be his usual self with a romantic twist.

An entire dozen would be overkill, he suspected.

A dozen seemed too…feminine.

And then Tony was hit by a sensory memory so strong he almost tripped on his own feet. Jeanne's face, in a dimly lit restaurant, when Tony had presented her with red roses.

Tony didn't want any comparisons. Jeanne and Gibbs were so very different. And the way Tony loved them was very different.

So his made his decision.

Gibbs was, naturally, a bit pissed, but the chuckle after the initial presentation more than made up for it. He even broke out a (very dusty) vase and filled it with water.

And Tony knew his choice had been the right one.

For Jeanne it had been a dozen roses, but for Gibbs, Tony felt one would suffice.

The kiss was all the answer he needed.

* * *

A/N: So in order to thank all my amazing reviewers and celebrate the MOST reviews I have EVER gotten for a single story (67 at last count) I thought I would post two chapters today.

Really love this one, too.

Request was from **Silver Ardor Dragon**.

Thanks for reading!

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	12. Naked

50 Sentences Expanded

* * *

45. Naked – The first time, Gibbs had made love to him with his eyes, raking across him from head to toe, leaving him completely vulnerable.

* * *

Tony DiNozzo would be the first to tell you that he got the job with NCIS because of his good looks, his charming personality, and of course, because of his killer smile.

Sure, the salt-and-pepper haired agent sitting across the interview table from him wasn't the easy prey Tony was used to, but that didn't mean the good old DiNozzo charm wouldn't hold its sway.

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs was neither charmed nor amused, and by the end of the interview Tony was more and more certain he would still be sitting behind his desk the next day, waiting for someone to die so he could investigate.

So he was naturally surprised when he received a phone call the next day (while sitting behind his desk, waiting for someone to die so he could investigate) telling him he got the job.

And he spent the next two years only slightly regretting it.

He watched El Bossman go through another divorce (his third, according to the odd lab tech, Abby). He met a Secret Service agent on Air Force One who proceeded to become a moral pain in his ass for the next two years. He found a new guinea pig for his amazing Mcnicknames.

He lost, and gained. Time flew by.

But two months after learning that the woman he had formerly loved had tried to pin her father's murder on him, he realized something very important.

The longest relationship in his life was with Gibbs. And the more he thought about it, the weirder things became. There was no way he was looking at his boss as an object of attraction.

Naturally, once he noticed he was staring, he immediately tried to stop. Which, of course, meant he began staring anew, albeit less subtly than before.

He'd been working at NCIS for six years when he noticed that all his attraction may not be entirely unreturned.

One Friday afternoon when everyone was sleepy from the lunch break shortly before, Tony stared at his blank computer screen groggily.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up in a sure sign that he was being observed. A quick glance and his suspicions were confirmed. Gibbs was staring at him. Not absentmindedly either, but with purpose.

A year later, when Tony lay curled in Gibbs' arms, he thought back to that Friday afternoon and realized an odd fact.

The first time, Gibbs had made love to him with his eyes, raking across him from head to toe, leaving him completely vulnerable.

Tony was glad that Gibbs' gaze was still capable of that, after all this time.

* * *

A/N: This expansion was requested by **Silver Ardor Dragon. **I hope you liked it.

This was a fun one to write.

Also this was written before the Baltimore episode aired so this is how I originally pictured Tony's entry to NCIS.

Anyways, reviews are lovely!

sl


	13. Soul

50 Sentences Expanded

* * *

19. Soul – Laying underneath his boat, Gibbs could swear he felt a gentle hand glide across his cheek.

* * *

Sometimes, he got lonely.

Not the kind of lonely where you can go to a bar, drink yourself sick, and then pass out on the cab ride home kind of lonely. The kind where you know the alcohol won't help. The kind where there is no one to stop the memories from pouring in; nothing to stop the endless reel of emotions that flood every waking thought.

Bourbon helped.

But some nights, after a particularly harrowing case, when the line between life and death stretched so very thin, nothing was soothing.

Those kinds of nights seemed to happen more and more often.

The boat helped. There was something in the repetitive motions involved in the construction that dulled the senses, allowed a person to drift into oblivion where there was no trouble, or pain to speak of.

This was his third boat, and it was almost finished. He supposed that he should find a comfort in the completion, but in fact it merely left him feeling even more empty inside.

The daunting task of creating another boat, built by hand from scratch, did not help the loss he felt. Each vessel symbolized a piece of him that he was losing by giving it away. The first boat he had been proud to sell to a friend. The second he had set fire to and toasted the finalization of his divorce. But this boat had no special meaning attached other than the one he assigned to it. And by painting her name on the side, he had officially made the boat a physical representation of his loss, his mortality, his loneliness.

Tonight was yet another night where the bourbon had gone sour after the first glass. The taste no longer held appeal. So he lay down underneath the nearly finished boat, waiting for the darkness to set in.

But the boat, being the symbol it was, could not leave him alone with his loneliness. Laying underneath his boat, Gibbs could swear he felt a gentle hand glide across his cheek.

And for a moment, the loneliness lifted.

* * *

A/N: This expansion was requested by **Silver Ardor Dragon**.

So many apologies for my very long absence. For those who want a detailed explanation as to why I was gone so long, please see my profile. If you're just here to read, please, continue. And thank you!

I have another expansion written and I'll probably post in in a few days. So the update is coming.

I hope you enjoyed. I found this one a little difficult to write. I struggled a bit because how I started the story didn't fit with the exact sentence I had used. I didn't want to change the original sentence so I had to change the story.

Please let me know what you think! And if there is a sentence you would like to see expanded, please let me know. If you have already requested one that has not yet been completed, never fear, it's on the way.

Thanks!

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	14. Last

50 Sentences Expanded

* * *

4. Last – Tony glanced around at the faces surrounding him, choking in disbelief: how could he be the last to know?

* * *

It took a lot for a man with the caliber of Anthony DiNozzo to admit he felt betrayed and left out. But come on, give him some credit. Everyone but him had been invited into Ziva's home, and everyone but him had been allowed into the circle that was Ziva's friends.

She had cooked for them all. Perhaps on different occasions, but the fact remained: never once had Tony been thought of or invited. It hurt.

Many truths had emerged during their time spent trapped together in box. Certain truths were ones Tony hadn't minded sharing, while others he was probably going to regret telling her. Tony had known that Ziva's childhood had not been one of the greatest support and love, so that wasn't news to him.

What bothered him was that she did not include Tony as a confidant. They were partners and, he had thought, friends. But when Gibbs himself had admitted to eating one of Ziva's dinners Tony knew he had been placed in an inaccessible category all his own. His admission into this category denied him certain rights as Ziva's friend.

He wanted her to understand how disappointed and hurt he was, without him having to tell her.

Sitting at his desk with his arm in a sling he tried to convey the hurt. Tony glanced around at the faces surrounding him, choking in disbelief: how could he be the last to know?

Had they spent the dinners laughing at him and making jokes at his expense because he had no idea what was going on? They didn't seem the kind of people to do such a thing, but Tony knew he deserved it as punishment for his continual abuse and practical jokes.

Perhaps Ziva had felt bad when she had offered to cook for him. That must have been the only reason she invited him in the first place; because she felt sorry for him.

Sitting in the car on the way to Tony's apartment, Ziva didn't speak. They made a quick stop at a market where she had run in and purchased what she needed for the dinner.

Tony sat alone in the car and fumed. Upon her return, he was ready to tear into her, but her words stopped him.

"I'm sorry, Tony." Her words had escaped as mere whispers, and Tony wasn't entirely sure he had heard them at all until she turned to him.

"I'm sorry for not inviting you sooner. I did not think you would come." She put her hands on the steering wheel but did not start the ignition.

Tony stared at her. "You didn't think I would come?"

"No. It seemed to me that you were always going out with some woman and that having dinner with your coworkers was not something you would be interested in."

"How could have known that? You never asked."

Ziva turned her head a gazed at him, her face impressively impassive. "You are right. I assumed. I was incorrect. I'm sorry."

Tony continued glaring, but after she had started the car and they were back on the road, he realized that her apology was sincere.

"I don't mind hanging out with my coworkers. I used to have dinner with Kate all the time."

She remained silent and a thought occurred to Tony. She knew. She knew that he had been attached to Kate, that they had been close friends. It made Tony accept a new respect for Ziva, realizing that she hadn't wanted to replace Kate.

She helped him up the stairs into his building, and once he was settled on the couch she entered the kitchen to begin preparing dinner.

"Ziva?" Her head appeared around the kitchen doorway.

"Yes? Do you need something, Tony?"

He shook his head. "You could never replace her."

She didn't reply, and Tony couldn't read her expression.

"You're different and that's a good thing. I wouldn't want you to replace her."

"I…"

"But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to be friends."

Her mouth snapped shut, and she smiled. She approached the couch but did not sit.

"I would like to be your friend."

Tony smiled back, and settled himself back into the couch more comfortably. "Well, dinner's always a good start."

Her smile stretched into a smirk, and gave him a playful smack on the leg. Tony pretended to gasp in pain, but she didn't acknowledge it, just returned to the kitchen.

He hated to be so predictable, but as always, there was a movie quote for the situation.

The start of a beautiful friendship indeed.

* * *

A/N: This expansion was requested by **TechnoMistress**. I hope you all liked! Review and let me know!

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	15. Ghost

50 Sentences Expanded

* * *

30. Ghost – Tony heard the little girl's laughter as he walked down the hallway, just as sure as he heard the woman whispering his name.

* * *

He had only been living with Gibbs for a month when he first noticed the history the old house held.

It was decades old, and the furniture was so dated that Tony felt as though he had stepped into a '70s TV show. Gibbs kept everything in good repair, however. The lawn was neatly trimmed, and the flower beds were free of weeds. Tony hadn't been able to picture Gibbs gardening until the Saturday before when they spent the afternoon in the yard.

Tony didn't mind the ancient décor. There was a certain antique quality that made the house unique. It was Gibbs through and through. Tony had been allowed to change some things, to make the home more personal. Gibbs' living room had a bigger TV and shelving full of DVDs along the walls.

Tony liked the way his stuff melded together with Gibbs'. It made him feel as if the house was accepting him as part of the family.

Tony hung a picture of his mother next to a picture of Gibbs' dad. His towel hung next to Gibbs' in the bathroom. The fridge was full of all of Tony's favorite things: beer, pizza, and junk food.

The one area in which Tony still felt uneasy was the unspoken memories of the previous lives in the house. Their presence was everywhere, and Tony could slightly understand why three different wives had all felt unwanted here.

The master bedroom sat empty. Tony had ventured inside only to find a mattress with no bed clothes, and nothing else. He knew there were a few boxes in the attic that still contained mementos of Shannon and Kelly. Clothes, toys, pictures.

This was an area of Gibbs' life in which Tony felt forbidden, and deep down he knew that while he felt excluded from this part of Gibbs' life he could never truly be at peace in the house.

Perhaps the house knew. Perhaps Gibbs' knew. But neither showed it. Sitting alone one evening, waiting for Gibbs to return home, Tony listened to the quiet. For such an old house, he was surprised that it didn't creak when the wind blew. Tony stood and made to climb the stairs for a shower when he heard it.

A female. Whispering. A soft breeze against his skin. He reached the top of the stairs, thinking that his mind must be playing a trick on him. But as he continued toward the bathroom, he couldn't be sure it was all in his head.

And it was the laughter that ended the debate.

Tony heard the little girl's laughter as he walked down the hallway, just as sure as he heard the woman whispering his name.

Happy. They were happy. There was another man living with their husband, their father, and they were happy.

He was home.

* * *

A/N: This expansion was requested by an anonymous reviewer named **Paige**.

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	16. Time

50 Sentences Expanded

An NCIS Fanfic.

* * *

37. Time – Some wounds would never heal.

* * *

Gibbs watched them all as he exited MTAC wearing his hospital clothes. Ziva stood behind him and Gibbs took support from the strength she offered. He tried not to let his exhaustion show. And he was exhausted, mentally and physically. He had just relived almost twenty years of his life in under a week. Every suppressed memory had come flooding back and then he'd had to remember everything he'd forgotten about his recent life.

He knew they were all hurting. He knew that they really needed him to explain some things, to help them through the turmoil. But he also knew he couldn't stay. He needed to get out of this place; this city, this country. He was utterly spent and had nothing else to give.

They would be upset and disappointed. Tony would hate him and Abby would pretend to. Ziva would understand and Tim would stop trying to after a few months. Ducky would never forgive him.

All these things he would deal with in time. But for now he had to go.

Some wounds would never heal.

* * *

A/N: I think this might be the shortest expansion of the lot but since everyone knows Gibbs' story I saw no need to lay it all out. This was not requested by anyone but I expanded it because it was a great companion to another expansion: Change which will be posted right after this one.

I also thought that the finale of season three was full of powerful scenes and enigmatic moments that brought the characters together but also tore them apart. I think they're two of the best episodes.

I hope you liked and stick around because Change should be up in a few minutes.

I also have a poll on my profile! It's to determine what I'm writing next. I don't have as much free time as I used to so I really want to write what people want to read instead of writing, posting, and hoping I'm getting people.

Please review! It'll make my day.

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	17. Change

50 Sentences Expanded

An NCIS Fanfic.

* * *

13. Change – Tony knew it would come, but holding Gibbs' gun and badge in hand as Gibbs left NCIS for the last time, he didn't think it would be now.

* * *

Abby was crying. Tony couldn't even see her but he could tell. They were the silent tears of someone desperately trying to hold it together. Ziva didn't cry, but really Tony didn't expect her to.

Gibbs was leaving. Not just leaving for a day or even a couple of days, no. He was legitimately leaving NCIS and never coming back.

Tony knew it would come, but holding Gibbs' gun and badge in hand as Gibbs left NCIS for the last time, he didn't think it would be now. The elevator doors were closing and Tony felt as though he'd been beaten with a Louisville Slugger. There had been no forewarning, no explanation, just a goodbye.

It was bad enough that Gibbs hadn't told Tony about his past. You'd think that the guy you'd been sleeping with for over a year would come clean about a wife and daughter that he desperately missed. But no, Tony had to learn about Gibbs' former life through Director Sheppard. And then Tony couldn't even confront Gibbs about it because Gibbs had no idea who he or anyone else was.

Their entire relationship, consisting of thirteen months and seventeen days, had never existed in Tony's mind; frankly that's what killed him most.

And when Gibbs finally remembered who Tony was he didn't acknowledge their physical relationship, only the working one.

And now he was gone. To say the least, Tony was pissed. He wasn't even really sure who he was most upset with. Gibbs? Himself?

All he knew was that he couldn't just let this go. One hour after Gibbs had left, Tony finally got Abby to a calm place where she wasn't bawling her eyes out. Then he was gone. He didn't go home. He passed the speed limit in more ways than one and pulled into Gibbs' driveway a mere twenty minutes after leaving the office.

The house was dark, but Gibbs' truck was still in the drive so Tony knew he was inside. A single suitcase sat by the door. But Tony could hear the radio in the basement.

Gibbs was sitting in the dark. Humming. The radio was silent. For several moments Tony stood on the top step and listening to the melancholy tune Gibbs was emitting. It sounded familiar but he couldn't place it.

"You could have told me." Tony hated to interrupt but he had to start somewhere.

Gibbs sat up from his spot on the floor and tried to focus on Tony's face in the dark. Tony crept down and made his way to Gibbs' side. He kicked off his shoes and tried to get comfortable sitting on the hard floor.

"Which thing?"

"Any of it."

Gibbs reclined once more and put his arms behind his head. Tony followed suit.

"I didn't tell anyone. Not even Ducky."

"That supposed to make me feel better?" Tony's eyes began adjusting to the inky blackness and he turned to see Gibbs' face.

"Nope. Just the honest truth."

"Gibbs I spent over a year sleeping in the bed you shared with her and you couldn't even tell me!" Tony sat up angrily and wrapped his arms around his knees. Gibbs watching him intently.

"It wasn't the same bed." Tony refused to look at him.

"Did you buy a new one?"

"Nope. I sleep in the guest bedroom. Master bedroom is filled with boxes and all the memories I couldn't handle."

Tony looked down at him, suddenly feeling the infinite sorrow Gibbs had carried for so long.

"From my second wife on I slept in the guest bedroom. But it just became one more thing they got upset over. They couldn't understand why I had an empty room that I kept shut up. Eventually they all learned why and then they just accused me of still being hung up on Shannon."

Tony lay back, this time scooting closer to Gibbs. He could feel the heat radiating from him, a direct contrast to the cool concrete floor. "Why didn't you tell them from the get go?"

"Because I was still hung up on Shannon." When Tony turned his head he found Gibbs looking back at him.

"So when we were together…?"

"Tony I meant everything I ever told you. Shannon will always hold a place in me. But everyone else I have cared for also has a place, a different place. After they died I had to learn to compartmentalize my thoughts. It was the only way I got through."

Tony pressed against Gibbs and was rewarded with an arm snaking beneath and around him. They sat in cool silence for over ten minutes. Cars passed outside and a breeze ruffled the tree outside the basement window. Eventually moonlight made its way, creeping across the floor and illuminating Gibbs face throwing half his features into shadow.

"You're leaving."

"You already know that. I gave you my badge."

"No, I mean you're leaving D.C, aren't you?" Tony felt Gibbs nod against his head.

"Where you going?

"Not sure. Thought I might head down to Mexico and see Mike for a while. Spend some time relaxing and enjoying my life."

"Will you miss it?"

"What?"

"Being here. Working at NCIS." But Gibbs felt the underlying question.

"I'll miss everyone Tony. Abby, Ziva, Tim, Duck. Especially you."

Tony shifted. "You sure? Because for a while I thought you were pretending we didn't exist."

Gibbs prevented him from pulling further away with a tightening of his arm. "Tony it was an odd time. We didn't really have a chance to talk and I didn't think you wanted me telling everyone about us."

"Yeah."

"I will miss you, Tony."

"You're not coming back, are you?"

"Hadn't planned on it. Why?"

"So we're sort of finished then, aren't we? You're going away and I'll be here. Never was one for long distance relationships."

"Thought you said it wasn't a relationship."

"It wasn't but, well, I don't know, it's just weird that it's over now." Gibbs tilted Tony's face up and placed a gentle kiss to his lips.

"I don't leave until tomorrow, DiNozzo." Tony tried to let that fact wash relief over him, but he felt nothing but sorrow.

Gibbs shifted so that he kneelt over Tony and began kissing him. They were not the hungry kisses they had shared when their "thing" was in its infant stages, nor were they the chaste kisses given when they were upset with one another. These kisses were goodbyes. Each one represented an emotion that neither one could speak of.

Gibbs removed his shirt slowly and broke the kiss only to pull it over his head. Tony's shirt was easier. Gibbs masterfully undid the row of buttons as he had many times before.

Tony's slacks melded with Gibbs' sweats in a pile. They left on the socks; removed the underwear. It was a dance, really, and each movement said so much more than normal. Tony's mind got lost in the metaphors and similes. He tried to ignore any irony and all the double meanings. He wanted only to focus on Gibbs' beautiful mouth and what is was doing to his cock.

This was too fast. It would be over soon and then Gibbs would be gone. He wanted more time; an infinite amount. He wanted to say the things he had denied for so long. He wanted to tell Gibbs that he was in love with him; beg him to stay.

But all was lost to the humidity and the sweat that beaded on Tony's lip and forehead. Gibbs was within him, moving in a gentle rocking motion. Tony wrapped his thighs around Gibbs' waist and pulled his lips down for a kiss to connect them forever. This moment could never last long enough to satisfy all the Tony wanted, needed.

Tony stroked Gibbs' shorn hair and tried to curl his fingers into the short strands.

Gibbs was thrusting faster now and Tony held on tighter. God, he was close. And he hated it. Everything was almost over.

And he was crying. Silent tears rolled down his cheeks and Tony thanked his lucky stars that it was too dark for Gibbs to see.

They finished at almost the same moment and even still Tony hung on keeping Gibbs inside him, keeping them connected if for only a second more.

They fell asleep like that. Tony tried so hard not too but eventually his body gave up on him. It gave up on them.

And when he woke up Gibbs was gone.

A month later Professor Tony DiNardo sat in a booth across from a beautiful woman in a coffee shop. He introduced himself and charmed her.

"I didn't catch your name. What was it again?"

She smiled. "It's Jeanne. Jeanne Benoit."

Tony hoped in his heart that this change would be good.

* * *

A/N: This expansion was requested by **Silver Ardor Dragon**.

This expansion is a companion to another expansion: Time. There is also an expansion that takes place roughly right after this one: Torn. They all kind of go together but it is not necessary to have read one before the other.

I hope you liked. Also I have a poll up on my profile! Please check it out and leave a vote!

Leave a review and let me know if I've still got it!

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	18. Torn

50 Sentences Expanded

An NCIS Fanfic.

* * *

39. Torn – He wanted so much to tell her he loved her and mean it, but he knew he never could.

* * *

He wasn't supposed to fall in love. That wasn't part of the plan. Tony was never completely sure what the entire plan was, but he knew that falling in love with the target's daughter was definitely not part of the plan.

Not telling Gibbs may have been part of the original plan, but it wasn't in Tony's master plan. He trusted the man more than anyone else in the world, and it had taken him a long time to accept the fact that Gibbs trusted him as well. How much would that trust fracture if and when Gibbs found out about Tony's undercover operation?

At first, it had seemed like a good idea. Tony was leading his own team, and Gibbs was on a boat somewhere. He had thought he was doing the right thing.

But as time went on, he began to realize that his "mission" wasn't of importance to the agency itself, but affected the director on a much more personal level. That was when Tony began to seriously question whether or not he should fill the returned Gibbs in. When Tony was no longer in charge it became much harder to keep up the charade. Ziva began snooping. At least two members of the staff now thought he had a terrible illness, and one poor tech guy thought Tony was carrying McGee's baby. Even Gibbs had asked him on numerous occasions if he was okay.

When it had started, Jenny had only informed him that he would make contact with someone close to the target. It wasn't until much later that he would learn that Jeanne was in fact the target's daughter.

She was beautiful, smart, funny, and charming. Her life's work was to help people. She trusted Tony DiNardo. She loved Tony DiNardo. She showed interest in his movies, in his life. Her smile made him feel loved and warm and welcome.

But that same smile also made him squirm with guilt that he was living a lie with this amazing woman. She was the very first person to make him forget, if only for a while, about the impossible crush he had on his very straight boss.

Jeanne accepted him for who he was; all his flaws and issues. And she really loved him.

But swinging from the top of the rock wall, Tony realized that while he might love her and care for her, he could never love her as Anthony DiNozzo, only as Tony DiNardo.

There was only one instance where he allowed himself to speak freely as Anthony DiNozzo, but even then it was Tony DiNardo telling the distraught Jeanne that he love her.

Anthony DiNozzo wanted to say those things. He wanted so much to tell her he loved her and mean it, but he knew he never could.

And as Tony burned her final message in the flames, he erased Tony DiNardo from himself, and allowed the fire to burn away all the lies he had told. All of them, save one.

* * *

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry for the long delay in updates. I'm back in school with a huge course load and I've been super busy. The good news is I'm almost done with all the requests I got for expansion. Once they're complete, if you don't see an expansion that you wanted to see, let me know and I'll keep on writing them.

This expansion was requested by **Silver Ardor Dragon**.

I also have a poll up on my profile. Please check it out!

Please R & R!

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	19. Book

50 Sentences Expanded

* * *

31. Book – After being kept at home by a blizzard for five days, Gibbs retreated to the far side of the house, but not before handing Tony a book, and telling him to "try reading it" so that he could gain insight into something other than 'chinima'.

* * *

On day one all Tony could do was marvel at the blanket of white that covered the street outside as well as everything else in sight. He wouldn't have believed the three feet of snow on the ground if he hadn't gone out and measured it himself.

There was no official state of emergency but everyone in the D.C. area had been advised to stay indoors unless it was absolutely necessary to venture out. This morning at roughly four Gibbs and Tony had been woken by Gibbs' ringing phone; an NCIS automated message telling them not to come in. Tony wasn't sure Gibbs had actually realized that he had agreed to this until he woke up again hours later.

He was shoveling the driveway. Tony found this humorous; after an hour of shoveling only half the driveway was clear and even it was being slowly covered again by the newly falling snow.

They were set on food and basic supplies. They knew various ways to keep themselves entertained (although Tony had yet to demonstrate these to Gibbs).

So Tony got a paid vacation and smokin' hot bedmate for the duration. (Oh the head slaps he would get for thinking that…)

All was well.

Tony slept in on day two and when he finally woke it was to an annoyed look from Gibbs; clearly disapproving of the hour.

Aside from the required news reports telling them the snow was continuing on there wasn't much else on. Gibbs' TV had been upgraded at Tony's request months previously but that didn't mean there would be anything besides cooking shows and game shows on the five hundred channels.

They ate steak for dinner, cowboy style; just like Tony liked it. They drank beers and watched crap TV waiting for a game to come on. They fell asleep on the couch because it was warm.

It was nice.

On day three Tony decided that he was going crazy. This epiphany came to him after watching four hours of the game show network. He nearly tripped down the basement stairs to where Gibbs was working on wooden toys for Christmas. Gibbs was not impressed by his epiphany but he did take a leisurely break from working to fumble Tony out of his layers and take his mind off his worries.

Tony felt better.

On day four the TV went out. Tony nearly cried. He sat for three minutes staring at the screen watching the technical snow drift across, much like the snow outside the window. The irony was disgusting.

So he spent the rest of the day following Gibbs around the house. Gibbs was only slightly intrigued by Tony's sudden interest in wood working. By the end of the day Tony had actually managed to make something that sort of resembled a car, or an animal. It was something, anyway.

However Gibbs was growing testier by the minute. Tony was like a child, hanging onto his parents' heels. The grin on Tony's face when his project was complete was both charming and sexy but it also made Gibbs feel like a parent congratulating their child on a job well done.

This paid vacation was taking their relationship to places he didn't want to see.

After being kept at home by a blizzard for five days, Gibbs retreated to the far side of the house, but not before handing Tony a book, and telling him to "try reading it" so that he could gain insight into something other than 'chinima'.

Tony's bottom lip had popped out like a petulant child's but he did scour the house searching for stimulating reading material.

After five hours without a peep from Tony Gibbs was worried. Never had a silence gone on this long for the entire time he had known Anthony DiNozzo. He laid aside his tools and made his way up the stairs and into the living room. The sight he found nearly took his breath away.

Tony's book had fallen to the floor and the man himself was curled up on the sofa which was two feet too short for him. He had a quilt tucked under his chin and his head resting on a matching pillow. He looked serene, almost cherubic in his peacefulness. Gibbs stood watching him quietly, marveling at the handsome young man before him who was sleeping so childlike.

Moments like that didn't come along very often. Sure he could nudge him gently and ask if he wanted to head up to bed. But instead he stepped forward and wrapped the quilt tighter around Tony. It was a small gesture, romantic in nature; something Gibbs liked to do when no one was looking.

He drew the curtains on the darkening winter sky and then stooped to pick up the book: _Defining a Classic: Films That Made History_.

Gibbs chuckled softly as he placed the book on the end table. Some things would never change.

* * *

A/N: The book mentioned is not a real novel but made up for the purposes of this story. I'm quite sure, however, that similar books could be found.

This expansion was requested by SLE 74 and Silver Ardor Dragon. I hope it made you smile!

And to all the lovely readers who are reading now please leave a review, size doesn't matter. They make me smile!

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


	20. Blur

50 Sentences Expanded

An NCIS Fanfic.

* * *

11. Blur – When he closed his eyes, Tony remembered the whole scene in fast forward, and Gibbs was still drowning every time.

* * *

Maddy Tyler was okay. Thanks to extensive training required by every police force he had ever worked for as well as required by NCIS Tony had managed to restore life to the lifeless young woman.

Gibbs was okay. Thanks to all of the above as well as the nervous panic that spurred Tony on to save his boss and his lover Tony had managed to restore life to the lifeless man.

Anthony DiNozzo was not okay. No doubt due to mommy and daddy issues that he had never resolved, not to mention his other laundry list of issues it didn't matter to Tony that he had performed two miracles in the span of a few minutes.

He was sitting next to Gibbs' hospital bed wearing borrowed scrubs and a thick blanket. Gibbs was wide awake and if he wasn't still so weak he would be roaring to everyone who came near that he could be released because he was fine.

Abby had backed slowly out of the room after informing Gibbs that he wasn't to be released until the following day. McGee and Ziva were tying up the loose threads of the case and Ducky was processing the bodies of the men Tony had shot (and surprisingly killed despite his lack of aim or precision). So Tony was sitting with his lover, trying to calm him down so he didn't hurt himself or someone else.

When you survive death by drowning there are no stitches or broken bones (other than perhaps a cracked rib or two from the chest compressions). There are no scars except bruising from the hands on a chest. All you were left with was emotional scarring, and Tony had learned over the years that this was the worst kind of pain to overcome.

Ducky had implored him to get some rest, mostly hoping that Gibbs would follow suit and grab some shut eye.

However it was now two in the morning and while Gibbs had drifted off to sleep eventually Tony sat wide awake. The chair was uncomfortable and he was freezing but the negativities he focused on were not what was preventing him from closing his eyes. Nightmares plagued him and no matter what his rational mind tried to tell him he still watched and felt the pang in his chest.

When he closed his eyes, Tony remembered the whole scene in fast forward, and Gibbs was still drowning every time. Tony didn't manage to save him. Either of them. The team would find him sitting on the dock surrounded by their dead bodies, tears dripping down his cheeks hidden by the murky water of his swim. He was dead. He was gone.

So Tony opened his eyes once more and watched Gibbs sleep, focusing on the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he drew in the breaths of life. He started as he realized Gibbs was watching him, blue eyes penetrating his soul and extracting his pain. Damn him for that confounded ability of his to always know when someone he cared for was hurting.

"Come here." It was barely a whisper but Tony drew the words to him like a security blanket while he left the real blanket behind and walked to Gibbs' bedside. Gibbs checked the door, making sure it was closed. Tony drew the curtain around the bed for privacy at Gibbs nonverbal suggestion. He then lifted one side of the bed linens and motioned for Tony to crawl in.

Tony hesitated but Gibbs gave him a look which Tony took to mean 'get your ass over here or I will give you the world's biggest head slap as soon as I'm able'. Tony smiled and climbed in beside Gibbs. They didn't cuddle but the lack of space in the twin hospital bed forced them breach the realm of cuddling (although they would never admit it) and actually embrace.

"Sleep, Tony," Gibbs commanded. Tony laid his head on the pillow next to Gibbs' and closed his eyes.

* * *

A/N: Okay so this wasn't actually requested by anyone but I really wanted to expand it and so I did. I hope you like it anyways! Please review and let me know if anyone is still reading these.

Thanks!

sl

**Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.**


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